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Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Tatenda Mavetera, says government has identified three key imperatives driving the country’s push to adopt artificial intelligence (AI), as it moves to implement its National AI Strategy.
Speaking at the Zim CEOs Policy Roundtable, Hon. Mavetera said Zimbabwe’s AI agenda will be anchored on enhancing economic sovereignty, preserving cultural identity, and ensuring inclusivity across all sectors.
“We realised that we need to come up with three imperatives , the first is enhancing economic sovereignty through local innovation, the second is cultural preservation, and the third is ensuring inclusive development.”
Hon. Mavetera emphasised that cultural preservation would require embedding African values such as Ubuntu into emerging technologies, warning against adopting foreign systems that do not reflect local realities.
“We need to include Ubuntu in what we do and ensure that as we advance technologically, we do not leave ourselves exposed or disconnected from our identity,” said the minister.
The minister, however, placed particular emphasis on the education pillar within the National AI Strategy, describing it as critical to building a sustainable AI ecosystem.
She went on to say government wants to enhance talent by creating inclusive learning opportunities.
“Government will come up with policies that upskill, reskill and ensure our workforce is prepared for the AI-driven future,” she said.
Hon. Mavetera added that AI will be formally integrated into Zimbabwe’s education system beginning in 2027, marking a significant shift in the national curriculum.
“We want to make sure that AI is embedded in our national curriculum starting in 2027,” said Hon. Mavetera.
Beyond education, the strategy also prioritises strengthening digital infrastructure, with the minister warning that limited connectivity could undermine AI ambitions.
She also said that if people cannot talk about connectivity or investing in connectivity then there is no AI to talk about.
Mavetera also highlighted the importance of developing local datasets and regulatory frameworks to support innovation while safeguarding national interests.
“We need to make sure we have local datasets and put in place policies that support their development and use,” she said
She also spoke about how government has already started adopting AI in healthcare, including the launch of our telemedicine programme.
Hon. Mavetera spoke about how this would help improve the healthcare system in Zimbabwe.
The minister further underscored the role of partnerships in driving long-term growth, calling for collaboration between government, industry and academia.
“We need to build strong partnerships if we are to achieve sustainable growth in AI,” said Hon. Mavetera.
Hon. Mavetera said aligning the pillars with the country’s development priorities will be key to ensuring AI contributes meaningfully to economic transformation.
Zimbabwe’s National AI Strategy is structured around six pillars: talent and capacity development, infrastructure, adoption and public service transformation, governance and ethics, research and innovation, and international collaboration.
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